


Now That You're Here

by qianakingart



Category: Shakugan no Shana
Genre: Action, Attempt at Humor, Braids, Christmas Fluff, Cuddles, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Kazumi is a Flame Haze, Kazumi is a Kuudere, Khami, Khamsin is reincarnated, Mentions of verbal abuse, Multiple Personalities, Posted Out Of Order, papercut, they both have long hair
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-21
Updated: 2016-05-17
Packaged: 2018-04-04 00:07:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 11,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4119493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/qianakingart/pseuds/qianakingart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Kazumi is a kuudere, Khamsin has been reincarnated, and everyone slowly becomes confused. Just a bunch of angsty or fluffy one-shots that are post-canon. Oh, and published out-of-order.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Awaken

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! I'm glad it hasn't been too long this time. And if you're wondering the reason this story took so long to post . . . well, this was originally going to be a one-shot (haha that's pretty much my life story). Now it's just a series of one-shots that are either fluff or angst, which I'm glad for because GOSH DID THIS TURN LONG.
> 
> BTW, this is rated Teen because, because though this story leans more on the fluff side, there is a reason why it's tagged angst. Kazumi has suffered through a lot of death and has total recall that's more like 'total bad memory recall'. And Khamsin has stuff at home.
> 
> I have no idea if that's necessary, but it's better to be safe than sorry. That aside, onto the story!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT: This was changed from chapter five to chapter one. I figured that ordering it on Ao3 was better than on ff.net, so . . . yeah!
> 
> So, this is probably as far back as I'm going to go. In case you're wondering, yes, some more characters from the original material will appear. However, it may take some time. This chapter has some explanations . . . I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Thanks to my beta-reader, The Dragon!

Kazumi's hand gripped the railing so hard her knuckles turned white. She stood on the bridge above the usually glistening Mana River.

Her heart was in her throat as she watched Misaki City disappear around her.

Above her, far above her, loomed a being that was somehow gray and blue at the same time; mixed, yet separate. It had a face, but she couldn't pin-point where it was. All she could tell was that it wasn't watching her. The very existence of  _everything_ —not just the people, but the buildings and rocks, the very ground the city was set on—was winding it's way into the open maw of that creature.

It was eating the very City.

The hand that wasn't on the railing covered her mouth, and tears were falling freely from her eyes.

She couldn't do anything.

The feeling of helplessness she felt was greatly akin to what she used to feel, those times that a Fūzetsu would appear around her. She would see others fighting, and not be able to help. It had gotten better when Satou had begun to fight along with Margery, leaving her all the background chores, but it had always been there.

 _'How am I here?_ ' she asked herself numbly. ' _How am I here, watching my friends be taken by this monster?'_

_—he puts the bead into her outstretched hand—_

_'Khamsin . . .'_

_—"you'll become stronger"—_

_' . . . stronger . . .'_

**_'I can make you stronger.'_ **

Kazumi's brown eyes widened as the voice entered her head.

"Who's there?" she asked aloud, letting the hand over her mouth drop.

 _ **'Clairesse,'**_  the voice said,  ** _'the Red Judge.'_**

"You're a Crimson Lord, aren't you," the brunette asked, though it was more of a statement than a question.

**_'Yes.'_ **

"You're asking . . ."

_**' . . . for a contract . . .'** _

The girl stared at the creature that was consuming her city.

There was no choice.

"Yes," she whispered. "I will become a Flame Haze."

Red light streamed from the ground beneath her feet. It shook, and she shook with it.

Then she felt the Red Judge, going beneath her skin, into her  _very_   _veins_. Kazumi could feel the pieces fitting themselves together. First came the memory. Total recall. Then there was power, light streaming from her veins and nearly blinding her, though her eyes were closed. And then came her own power; something awakened by the contract that had always been buried inside.

She opened her eyes, and she could see the existence, yes. But she could also see where it had been.

 **"That's a constant power!"**  the Red Judge said.  **"Interesting. You'll be able to see whenever existence was consumed or used."**

Kazumi jumped and watched as the ground beneath her shattered. The creature—gray eyes, blue skin—had attacked her.

 **"And that was fast,"**  the judge remarked casually.

Instinct and overheard knowledge flashed through Kazumi. She spun herself, giving momentum to the kick she aimed.

She missed.

The creature bore down on her as she landed, and all she could do was jump to the side. She landed in the Mana river, and prepared to sink—only to find that it was less than a foot deep. It's existence was being taken, even as it would seem the creature was preoccupied.

She jumped to the side again, this time avoiding tendrils of fire. The flames began to burn the water.

Kazumi reached into all the memories that she had, soaking in everything about battle and taking less than a few seconds as she dodged again and again.

Kazumi closed her eyes for a split second.

Khaz opened her eyes.

She sprang straight for the creature, not sparing in the use of her new power. She spun once, kicking the air. She'd missed.

She landed clumsily on the bridge, dropping her fire, then jumping again as the creature attacked, hands outstretched. It screeched as it hit her flames.

She spun and threw fire at it.

 **"Blind it,"**  the judge said, and told her how.

Light streamed from her fingers, stretching around the creature and covering it's eyes.

Something fell away, and then she barely had time to dodge as something else flew past.

"It's been a fun fight," a laughing voice said. "But unfortunately, I have to go."

She turned, and found her opponent now in a partially humanoid form. But still blue-skinned. And still filled with power from her city.

But she couldn't beat him right then.

So before he dived to take her life, she threw light around herself, buried her power, and ran.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awaken—Before New Student


	2. Just Khaz

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Khaz becomes annoyed with Kazumi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this!? Updates two weeks in a row!? I must have gotten help from above!

The city crowded with tall buildings was awake, but almost every person was indoors, avoiding the weeping heavens. They cried rain and sobbed thunder; at the moment, the only difference between them and Kazumi Yoshida was the lightning that lit the underbelly of the clouds.

She was curled up in the pocket of an alley, her face hidden as memories swam through her fogged mind. The breaths she sucked in were shaky at best; at the worst, there was no breath at all.

— _Ken_ —

Her little brother she'd never said goodbye to—

— _Harai_ —

A friend she'd barely managed to be forgive—

— _Khamsin_ —

A strange boy who died to protect her. Why? Why did he choose to protect  _her_? She was a human, and all his life he had been surrounded by people who valued the ability to live on, who survived because they are strong. So why was she valuable enough for him to die for?

What would he say if he saw her now?

After about an hour, the crying subsided. The brunette stopped shaking, but the sky carried on with it's rain and thunder.

Khaz lifted her face and stared ahead. The mood had passed, thank goodness, but she knew it would come back, just as fierce and just as breathtaking as it had ever been. She reached up and touched the small things she had from her life in Misaki: her two red clips, her little white bow.

She hated those mood swings.

The Judge was silent, most likely out of comforting things to say after years and years of these sudden swings—Khaz would have inevitably rejected her words anyway, because she'd never accepted them. She still appreciated the sentiment, but the grief was too deep to be cast away with words.

She sighed. What had Khamsin seen in her, anyway?

The brunette let her head fall back so that she could look towards the sky. Rain hit her face, and she flinched each time, surprised despite knowing what was coming. She supposed that was in part due to her now ingrained instincts. Did instincts make her stronger?

—" _Ah, you will become stronger"_ —

She wasn't stronger.

The rain was slowing when Khaz finally stood. She began to walk out of the alley, each step just a tiny bit heavy.

She stopped in front of a broad dip in the pavement that was now filled with water. The occasional drip from the sky rippled across it, but the reflection was becoming clearer. In the puddle was the wavering reflection of a girl with long brown hair, dressed in dark clothing that was loose so she could move. Her cheeks were blotched with red, not to mention the skin around her eyes and on her nose. In her hair were red clips and a white ribbon.

That was Kazumi.

"I'm done mourning," she said. "I'm so done."

' _I don't want to think about how they're gone, how there's a new city on top of the old one, how I failed them by not being fast enough—_ _ **I am done**_ _.'_

With swift motions, she yanked the white ribbon from her hair, then the red clips.

She threw them in the nearby garbage can and then spun around.

Kazumi did not leave the alleyway.

But Khaz did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just Khaz—After Awaken, before New Student


	3. New Student

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Khaz manipulates herself into a class.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to make things clear, Khaz is Kazumi. The reason she changed her name will be explained, as will why I switch which one I use every so often later. But yes, Khaz, Arm of the Red Judge, is Kazumi Yoshida. And the way the power of existence is talked about here is confusing, too, but I promise it will be explained in due time.
> 
> Also, many thanks to my beta-readers, The Philosopher and The Starry Hoodie Wearer, and to YOU my readers who were so patient! Any review is more than welcome.

Khaz, the Arm of the Red Judge, walked into the classroom. Her brown eyes were blank, unable to expose the emotions that tumbled beneath the surface. As she stepped, her long, light brown hair swung away from her waist, then slowly moved back as she stood still.

The room was simple enough, a carbon copy of the others in the building but for the windows that were much bigger than usual; they framed gentle clouds above the green trees. There was no wind to speak of.

Her teacher smiled at her as she entered. She did not return the gesture, but lowered her head in a short bow before he could notice. If he found it strange, he didn't show it. But then again, his hair was a pale green, so he might not care.

"Welcome!" he turned to the class. "I'd like to introduce your new classmate. This is Kazumi Yoshida!"

Khaz bowed low, clutching her briefcase to her chest. "Pleased to meet you," she heard.

She rose, face still blank. "Please welcome me," she said softly, and forced herself to smile slightly.

She was shown to her seat, and found she was between one empty desk and a girl with bright red hair. The color reminded her strongly of . . . of a friend, but that was where the similarities ended. Sharper features, thinner eyes, and shorter hair were some of the more obvious differences.

The girl smiled at her and lifted her hand in a wave: genuine but casual. "Hey, Kazumi. I'm Jennifer, from America."

Khaz bowed. "Thank you for the warm welcome." She sat without saying anything else.

She quickly made herself comfortable; she knew the ropes of a classroom, finding who was the source of energy should be easy. She just needed to wait until everyone was distracted.

"Where did you move from?" Jennifer asked quietly. Khaz glanced at the girl. It hadn't been a whisper, just quiet, like she was used to being quiet. The human girl seemed interested, if not vested in the question. Khaz considered.

"New Misaki," she said finally.

Blue eyes shot to her. "Oh," the girl said, her blue eyes going slightly wide. Just as predicted. Most people were shocked. Khaz turned her attention back to the teacher.

The problem was that she knew it all, and then some. But she did pay attention, not willing to risk the teacher noticing if her attention lacked. By the time they left for PE, she knew that the boy two rows behind her and to the left had five sisters, that Jennifer was the daughter of a single mother, and that the unnamed person next to her skipped often, though it wasn't his fault.

The bell rung, and Khaz remained in her seat, purposefully gathering her things slowly. Then she realized that Jennifer seemed to be waiting for her, so she paused.

"" will be there soon," Khaz said.

The redhead raised an eyebrow and asked, "You sure you don't need help?"

"Yes," the brunet said shortly. There was another moment of no movement, and then Jennifer shrugged, smiled, and left Khaz alone in the room.

" **Perfect,"** the Red Judge said happily. " **Now we can look freely."**

"Yes," Khaz said, her monotone still firmly in place. She reached up and touched her earing. It was cold; her contractor wasn't anxious. "You are not nervous," she said.

" **Why would I be?"** her contractor asked.

Khaz was silent.

" **Are you?"** the Judge asked in surprise.

"It feels familiar," the girl with chestnut-colored hair replied. She didn't expound, and the voice from the earring sighed.

" **It could be a reincarnation,"** she suggested.

"Rare," the girl contractor said.

" **Especially since they have powers,"** the Crimson Lord agreed, " **but it's possible, isn't it?"** Khaz was silent. There was a sigh. " **Let's just get this over with,"** the Judge said.

Almost with a mind of it's own, Khaz's hand reached into her skirt pocket. Her fingers closed around metal and glass. Memories flashed through her at the contact. She closed her eyes.

— _the way the world really is . . ._ " _Is Sakai-kun a torch?"—_

In this case, total recall memory did not help. _'Khamsin'_ was all she thought, and then a perfect memory of loss washed over her.

—" _Ah, I decided to protect you, it is my responsibility."—_

She shut down the memories, shoving them back into her subconscious. She'd talked to the Red Judge about them before; it had helped, and she could do it again.

Just not now.

She lifted the spyglass. First, Jennifer's desk on her right, and those past her. Nothing there. She swung around, checking each and every person. When she looked left, she came to a stop.

The usual resident of the chair was powerful—but had no clue that they had any power at all. The chair and desk were saturated with existence. Feeling much relieved, she put her trinket away and let her power free.

' _ **No threat?'**_ her contractor asked into her mind.

"Not to us," Khaz replied out loud "They have no control over their existence. They are doubtless a reincarnation, or a Denizen looking for Xanadu. They have no idea what they're doing. The biggest concern is that someone else will notice and come kill them."

There was silence for a moment. " **For you, that's a fairly big concern,"** the Judge said.

"Yes."

Her contractor laughed. " **Of course we can stick around."**

The girl relaxed. A wind passed by the school, smelling of damp earth. She closed her eyes, taking in the sound of leaves swishing against each other and the promise of rain. She opened her eyes slowly. Then she leaned over to open the boy's desk. It was organized fairly neatly. On top was his notebook, and on his notebook there was clean, almost militaristic writing that read _Cameron Gray_.

' _Cameron . . .'_ she thought. ' _I wonder what he's like.'_

She heard a pattering on the roof and looked up to find it raining already. Khaz watched it, smelled it, then closed the drawer and leaned back in her own chair, letting her eyes fall shut.

She listened as it washed everything away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New Student — Before Braiding


	4. Cameron . . .

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cameron—After New Student, Before Braiding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Here's chapter three! I'll try to get a new chapter out every Tuesday morning. I hope you enjoy (especially my attempt at humor), and please review!
> 
> Unfortunately, only one of my beta-readers (the Dragon) was available, so . . . this might not be my best. But I really wanted to get this chapter out, so I'll update it with the edits later this week.

 Khaz woke.

The sunrise had long passed, giving way to a light blue sky, and a few thin clouds were scattered around. She reached out, as if to touch them. The smell of rain still lingered in the air, and she found the roof around her wet; she must have just missed the rain.

 **"Now I know why you're so upset when I wake you up,"**  came the voice from her earing. **"You slept like a log!"**

The corners of the brunet's mouth twitched. "Through the rain, even," she said, her monotone voice soft. The Judge must have dried her clothing while she slept. "Thank you."

 **"No problem, just a bit of power,"**  was the reply.  **"You should have seen the sunrise though!"**

Khaz smiled. Her contractor had seen several thousands of gorgeous sights, and yet, in their fifty years together, the brunet had not witnessed a single sunrise where the Red Judge didn't go completely silent with awe. It was as if she was hypnotized by the sun's ascension.

"Do you think he'll come to school today?" the Flame Haze asked. The north wind threw the leaves bellow into a frenzy, and she shivered.

 **"Yeah, I doubt he'll be gone two days in a row,"**  the voice from the earing replied.

"Yes. But what if?" she threw out her arm and then drew them backwards.

 **"Then we watch him from afar,"**  the Judge said firmly.  **"School setting first. That way, if he catches us following him, he won't be creeped out."**  Then she added, as Khaz let her arms drop,  **"As much."**

"I see . . ." The wind picked up again. Again, the brunette shivered.

 **"Also, it's time to start wearing the winter skirt,"**  the Judge said.

"Agreed. Training?"

**"Hmm . . . well, now's a better time than in class."**

Khaz nodded, and extended her arms again.

She felt the Judge putting existence into her hands, and she pulled it out of her palms. Two orbs of red light now rested in her hands; she threw one, and pulled at it quickly. Almost like paint, it became a flat wall. Quicker than lightning, Khaz twisted her hand, fingers stretched downward. The light was instantly gone, and in its place stood the image of a brick wall. The girl raised her hand. She threw the other circle, this one beyond the first, and then she pulled her fingers to her palm.

There was silence.

 **"You think it worked?"**  the Judge asked. Without a word, Khaz moved to look behind the wall. She was immediately encased in darkness.

"Yes," she said.

 **"A little too well,"**  the Judge sighed.  **"Let's try again."**

* * *

The smell of rain still lingered in the air as Khaz sat at her desk. They'd trained for an hour, maybe more. They hadn't mastered the absence of light. But neither of them were discouraged; the 'brick wall' had also taken a long time. They were becoming stronger.

_—"You'll become stronger"—_

Khaz put her clasped hands together on the edge of her desk and leaned on them; slowly, they slid across to the other edge.

She really didn't want to remember him right then. Or anyone, really. She didn't want to remember Hayato, or Yukari, or Ogata. Or her mother _—_

 _'That didn't work,'_  she thought numbly. Memories began to flash before her open eyes, and she didn't try to fight them. That had already proved useless. She saw her family laughing, Ken looking smug as their mother spat out her drink she was laughing so hard. She felt Hayato kissing her, she heard Yukari sobbing her apologies, and then her own voice assuring her friends that it was alright.

She watched Ken fade from existence again. She heard herself crying out for Khamsin. She felt her feet pounding against the floor as she ran to the kitchen where she knew, just knew her parents had to be-and they weren't there.

Khaz couldn't take it anymore. She closed her eyes and sensed, trying to force the perfectly vivid memories away by focusing on the here and now.

He was in the school building, a few floors down.

She opened her eyes.

 **"Why can't you hear me when you go into that state!"**  the Judge cried.  **"I was trying to get you out of it, but either you weren't listening, or you didn't hear me!"**

"I didn't hear you," Khaz said. "He's coming up."

 _ **'We have to fix that!'**_ the brunette's contractor continued mentally. _**'Then I can pull you out whenever. As it is now, it's possible you could get sucked into a never-ending vortex of memories that**_ ** _—_** _ **oh.'**_

The source of existence had made his way to the classroom, and now stood in the doorway. Curios at what made the Judge stop worry-warting, Khaz turned her head.

Khamsin Nbh'w stood in the doorway. Puberty had done great things for his height and elongated his face, but his scars were still there, and _—_

Oh.

Khamsin.

Nbh'w.

Stood in the doorway.

Khamsin Nbh'w.

Who was dead.

Khamsin.

Oh.

Interesting.

"You alright?" he asked, but she couldn't even think straight, much less move her mouth.

Funny how that worked. Thought, than action. Fascinating, really.

She took a deep breath, then sat up and turned so that she was looking straight ahead. Right. Khamsin.

Alive.

For more than fifty years, Khamsin had been dead. And now he was alive.

"You're kidding," she whispered, and then fainted.

* * *

When Khaz came to, there were two worried faces that hung over her. One was her teacher. And the other was . . . was alive.

She looked up at her teacher. "I'm fine," she said in her usual monotone. "Just a little faint."

"You sure?" he asked, and Khaz nodded.

She sat up slowly, and found that . . . that  _he_  was helping her up. "Thank you, Khamsin," she said.

He looked surprised for a second, then confused. "Ah, sure," he said. "What's your name?"

"Kazumi," she said.

"Ah, he mentioned that," he said, nodding to their teacher, "Last name?"

 _ **'Make him guess,'**_ the judge suggested.

"Guess," the brunette said.

He blinked. "Yoshida,"

"Wow," the teacher laughed, "spot on! Kazumi, are you sure you don't need . . ."

She rolled to her feet, careful to not move at her fastest.

"Very sure," she said.

The teacher looked amused, and Khamsin still looked a little concerned. But Khaz had proven her point.

She looked at the black-haired boy and managed to tilt her head. One more inch and it would have been questioning. "You're scars," she asked, "Where did you get them?"

He stiffened.

She lowered her eyes. "I see," she said softly, then turned away. She walked to her desk, pulled out her chair, and sat.

"Ah, no, it's fine," he said. "But I'd rather not talk about it."

Her fingers traced the grains of wood in her desk, following the pattern to the left edge. She didn't answer.

"So, where you introduced yesterday?" he asked, and she wanted to raise an eyebrow when he didn't say 'ah.'

"Yes," she said softly.

Wait.

Cameron.

His name was Cameron.

She set her jaw. There was no way in _—'I'm not calling him that.'_


	5. Are Reincarnations Supposed to Do That?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He's so similar—too similar.

The sky was the gentle blue of morning as leaves were rustled by wind. A Japanese high school, nestled into the edge of a lush green forest, stood near the edge of a mountain. The mountain, great and green and covered in trails, had only been noticed a few years ago. Not many realized it hadn't existed before that. One of them was inside the school, with chestnut-brown hair that reached her waist and eyes that nearly matched. She wore a red, metal earring, shaped like a curled lock of hair; it faintly glowed, betraying it's supernatural quality.

The girl wearing it said something—not aloud, but through her mind and into the earing.

' _Is he supposed to be this similar to his past self?'_ Khaz was thinking of the brown-skinned boy sitting at the desk to her right. The Judge was studying him for her, so the Flame Haze could stare straight ahead and pretend to be paying attention.

' _ **I think so,'**_ the Judge answered. ' _ **But neither of us have studied reincarnation. We should ask Yuji.'**_

' _We heard that he was studying them extensively from the Herald of Embers,'_ Khaz replied. ' _Credibility is low.'_

' _ **Who said she heard it from Sophie,'**_ the Judge added.

' _We don't know what Sophie and Shana's relationship is like now,'_ Khaz reminded her. ' _And the Herald told us after we made her mad, which drops the likelihood even further.'_

' _ **Do you not want to talk to Yuji?'**_

' _I'm not avoiding him.'_

' _ **You sure?'**_

Khaz thought about it for a moment, which would have had the benefit of making her look thoughtful about the lesson if her face showed any emotion. She came to a surprising conclusion.

' _I am,'_ she decided. ' _I know he was attracted to me, and I am still attracted to him. But I love how he is with Shana, and I don't want to threaten the relationship in any way.'_

' _ **That's ridiculous—you know you can't throw a wrench in that, especially if it's on accident.'**_

' _You are correct. I'll ask Margery if he knows.'_

' _ **Or we could just ask Margery,'**_ the Judge realized.

Khaz felt sharp relief course through her, and she closed her eyes momentarily. Margery hadn't studied reincarnation extensively, but she had studied it for a week during the years that Khaz stayed with her and her husband. She'd certainly know about something this big.

Khaz felt a cool breeze sliding past her face, and she looked towards the window. She stared past her red-headed classmate, Jennifer, to the outside, at the lush forest that surrounded their school. The imagery was enough to calm her, the sun glinting merrily off of bright leaves, and she closed her eyes as the cold breeze died down.

When she opened her eyes, she reluctantly turned back to the teacher. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Khamsin look away.

' _Maybe he's not so similar,'_ she thought. '' _Maybe I'm just seeing what I want to.'_

It wasn't impossible, and the old Khamsin had never stared at her, subtly or openly—she knew because of her perfect memory. Just to make sure, she ran through her memories of him.

She'd been wrong; he'd done it. Once. Otherwise, she'd surprised him, softened his expression, and somehow convinced him to die for a glowing blue lump that was a gift from Johan and Pheles.

' _ **The last one is**_ **completely** _**accurate,'**_ the Judge muttered sarcastically into her mind, but Khaz ignored her contractor. Yes, she must have fooled herself into thinking that he had the same personality. After all, if he did, she had no way of knowing; three thousand years would surely change a person to an unrecognizable degree.

' _ **I . . . I just realized a problem with talking to Margery,'**_ the Judge said suddenly.

' _Oh?'_

' _ **She might want to see Khamsin, and her little . . . theory . . .'**_

' _That could be too distracting,'_ Khaz agreed quickly. They hadn't discussed the theory much, as it had been painful for her, but now Margery would want to test it. Khaz didn't want to be distracted, especially when protecting _Khamsin_. He'd given everything for her, and she was willing to do the same for him; anything that took away her ability to do that was not worth it.

' _Still, we need information about reincarnation. Perhaps I should just . . . not mention who it is.'_

' _ **Khaz, that's even worse. She'll be mad when she finds out.'**_

' _Yes. But it might be worth it.'_

She thought for a moment, then realized an easy solution. ' _I can tell her that I am not giving her specifics.'_ she decided.

' _ **Okay,'**_ the Judge said, ' _ **then we can talk to her during lunch!'**_ Which was a good thought, because right then the bell rang.

Khaz waited for everyone to leave, watching student after student file out of the classroom. She vaguely realized that two people remained, but wasn't paying attention to who or why because she was trying to recall the bookmark spell. Then she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up quickly.

"Hey," Khamsin said, "You should join us for lunch."

For some reason, her heart jumped and tumbled. She was about to say open her mouth to say yes, then checked herself; she needed to talk to Margery. What he'd said was very straight-forward for Japan. She could easily turn him down without risking anything.

' _ **Yeah, but why would you want to waste an opportunity to spend time with him?'**_ the Red Judge asked, and Khaz bit her tongue. It was a good point, and who knew when the next time he would approach her would be? She could talk to Margery later.

She nodded, not changing expression, and stood gracefully. Jennifer, who was apparently the other part of the 'we' Khamsin had been referring to, gave her a smile. Then she looked up at Khamsin.

"Hey," she said, "can you grab that thing in Haruto's desk?"

Khamsin, without question, leaned over and opened the desk, then shuffled around in it before snatching a lined paper from inside. He glanced over it. "Ah, what's this?"

"My notes," she replied. "He stole them this morning."

"First of all: how? Secondly, which class?"

"Not science," she said.

"Ah," he said, "I'd have recognized that."

"I wouldn't be surprised if you hadn't," she teased, and one of his eyebrows twitched. Then one corner of his mouth followed suit, and he crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it across the room, at the garbage can. He missed wildly.

"Oh you!" Jennifer laughed, and jumped over a row of desks, into Khaz's aisle, to punch him in the arm. "How dare you!"

"Ah, you clearly don't mind that much," he replied.

"Because you're going to be the one getting that back," she replied. "Be thankful you're such a bad aim!"

Khaz felt her mouth slacken. He'd carried over a _handicap?_ She was she'd never heard Margery saying something like that.

' _ **Hey,'**_ the Judge said, ' _ **If he carried over something like that, is it possible his scars aren't from anywhere?'**_

' _What do you mean?'_

' _ **Like, they just appeared. Split his skin when he got old enough or something.'**_

Khaz blinked as she walked out of the rows of desks. It seemed strange, but even stranger was that he would get exactly the same scars from different incidents. One on the side of his mouth, another on his forehead, and a third on his cheek. She bet that if she could see his neck, that scar would be there too.

' _That's plausible,'_ she decided. ' _I'll ask Margery tonight.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did loose interest for a little bit, mostly because I decided something about Jennifer, then realized that meant I had to go and edit her behavior because it didn't work with her personality. But now I've finished that, and I'm back on it, and trying a new (old) daily routine, so hopefully the updates will be more frequent after this! (Maybe even weekly . . ?) I also came to the realization that Khamsin is hard to write, and have an idea for how many chapters this story might have!


	6. When People are Friendly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Khaz needs hugs!  
> (After Cameron, and before Switch)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha! I have updated! Actually, this update was on Tumblr a while ago, but . . . it's a long story. And updates will probably be slow from now on. Anyhow, please enjoy (and yes, I will be responding to reviews from now on. Even if it's just a 'thank you!').

Khaz followed the two teens up to the roof. They clearly did this every day, just from the way they didn't communicate about it. She wondered why, and what they did instead when it rained.

Jennifer twisted the doorknob easily, and it swung open with a slight squeak. She strode out onto the roof, like she was in charge of the area, even though no one was there. Khamsin followed, careful to guide Kazumi to where they clearly usually sat. Jennifer sat and put her bight green bento beside her, to Khaz's right. And Khamsin sat and put his bento on Khaz's left. She blinked. They were looking at her expectantly, as if . . . as if they expected her to sit in-between them. She blinked again, but then sat.

She glanced up at them one at a time, now with Jennifer on her left and Khamsin on her right. She wasn't sure what they expected her to do.

' _ **Maybe they think you'll pull a bento out of thin air,'**_ the Red Judge suggested.

But they didn't mention anything as they unpacked their lunched. Then the one on her right, the red-haired human called Jennifer, turned to her with a casual smile.

"How are you?"

Khaz just stared at her, and could feel the awkward tension rise—so she decided to stop being socially inept for the moment.

"I am well, thank you," she said, trying to force the edges of her mouth upward. It didn't work, but Jennifer didn't seem to mind.

"Ah, how are you liking the school?" Khamsin asked, and she turned around to face him.

"It is fine," she answered.

There was some more silence. Khaz suspected that it didn't feel awkward to either of them, but it felt strange to her.

Then the female said, "oh, Kazumi, did you bring any lunch?"

Khaz blinked and turned back to the redhead, then shook her head.

"Then why don't you have some of mine?" the girl offered, casually—but Khaz thought it was rather kind. Jennifer had clearly been enjoying her meal. With a light shrug, Khaz pointed to a rice-ball and looked up at Jennifer. When the redhead nodded, she took the object and began to nibble on it.

' _What would you say . . . needs to cook for half-a-second more or less?_ '

_**'Wha—what!? I didn't know you cooked!'** _

' _I'd say more, don't you agree?_ '

The bell rang, and while the other two students hurried their meal, she continued to nibble.

' _Actually, I think the heat wasn't low enough—it's getting slightly more moist, so I bet the consistency—_ '

"Ah, Kazumi?"

She looked up and tilted her head at the speaker, Khamsin.

"The bell?" Jennifer added.

She looked towards Jennifer, shrugged, and continued to eat.

She could almost _feel_ them exchanging a look over her head, and the redhead laughed.

"Well, we're here if you need anything," Jennifer said, clearly still amused. With this, she slung an arm around Khaz and squeezed.

A warm feeling washed over the brunette the moment Jennifer hugged her. The other girl quickly let go, but Khaz's body acted on its own accord and shuffled closer. After an awkward moment or two, Jennifer wrapped both her arms around the girl.

Khaz felt the prickling of tears, but fought them back. She realized that no one had touched her outside of battle since . . . since Misaki fell.

When Khamsin awkwardly put an arm around them both, Khaz immediately found a way to snuggle closer to both of them. Who cared that public physical affection was weird in Japan; she wanted to be hugged. By both of them. So when Khamsin didn't lift his other arm, she reached out and pulled it to her, moving both of them around until she was satisfied.

Khamsin let out a huff of laughter, and then Jennifer giggled. Her two friends obliged her wishes, though it was probably a bit uncomfortable for them. Then again, the redhead was from America and Khamsin didn't care for propriety, so maybe neither cared. Khaz certainly didn't.

The warmth returned, spreading from her head to her toes. Being held by two people—who, even if they didn't care a huge amount, certainly had _some_ affection for her—had tears pushing at her eyes again.

Fifty years was a long time to not have physical contact with someone.

 


	7. Escort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Escort—After When People Are Friendly, before Papercut

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluffy chapter! There's been too much angst in this so far, I decided to lighten it up! (Also, three weeks in a row!?)
> 
> I've mentioned this before, but in Japan, public displays of affection are rare. One lady I saw on Youtube talked about how, for a while, her husband wanted to hide their joined hands when they were at the grocery store. So I'm assuming that would apply in this situation, though they might not even have this specific type of escorting in Japan. I don't know, I did it with an elderly lady, maybe they do.  
> Also, this is the future, so let's say that there are good homeless shelters in Japan.

“Ah, Kazumi!”

The sunset stained the lush green trees with soft pink, something that made the Red Judge almost unable to speak. The school was stained with the colour, which Khaz saw as she turned to face the person who was so very similar to his past life.

The sunset was gentle, and yet it still cast half of his body in shadow. The right half, but still half, and a painful memory flashed through her of seeing him—

She shoved it away, focusing on trying to smile at him. It didn’t work, but it was a good distraction.

‘ _Maybe I shouldn’t be here_ ,’ she thought. ‘ _I should run. He brings back memories; I should run and forget this ever happened_.’

She waited for him.

He smiled at her, and somehow it was suddenly easy for the edges of her mouth to lift ever-so-slightly.

“Ah, do you usually walk home alone?” he asked.

She paused. The previous night, she’d slept on the school roof, and she’d planned to do the same after everyone had left.

Realizing that he was waiting, she nodded.

“I can escort you, if you’d like me to.”

Khaz had no reason to feel embarrassed, but her cheeks turned a slightly darker shade of pink.

Why was he always putting her first? Well, that confirmed her suspicions that he was close to the same person he was before. Protecting her was even more important than his life.

The thought made her cheeks deepen in color.

She realized that she’d paused for too long, but nodded as if she’d simply been thinking it over.

Khamsin smiled slightly. “Which way is your home?”

Whoops.

Thinking fast, the Flame Haze tried to scan through the surrounding area for normal apartment complexes, yet she didn’t know the area well enough. She still tried, but total recall didn’t help if you never bothered to look. Perhaps she could say that her family was staying at a hotel while they looked for a place to live?

Apparently, she took too long to think, because one of his eyebrows began to rise ever-so-slightly.

“It’s embarrassing,” she said quickly. At that, his eyebrow shot upwards. She wondered if she should reprimand him for assuming she didn’t have emotions, but was shocked out of deciding when he nodded.

“Alright,” he said, and then he held out his elbow to her.

Khaz felt herself turning red again. It was just his arm! She’d just have to put her hand into his elbow, and then he’d walk with her.

So why . . . maybe it was just ingrained from her childhood in Japan.

She felt herself turning an even darker shade of the color, but refused to acknowledge it. Taking his arm—with others looking on, including a very smug Jennifer in the classroom window—she felt a fluttering in her stomach, like when Ike had said that he loved her the first time. It had been very romantic, with snow falling, the frozen lake stretched out beneath the bridge. And yet, she’d known that she didn’t love him.

When she and Ike had been dating after Xanadu was created, he’d escorted her a few times. It hadn’t had the butterfly effect. In fact, the closest it ever got to that was when she’d seen Harai so _happy_ as he escorted her to school, declaring their relationship with the simple touch. And that hadn’t been romantic, that had been joy as a friend.

A pang went through her at the memory, and for once in her life she tried to concentrate on that, and yet she couldn’t!

Not with the butterflies dancing in her stomach.

She stared at the ground, trying to get the heat on her face to _go away_.

‘ _He’s simply doing it because of my reaction to physical affection earlier_ ,’ she told herself. ‘ _Why am I even looking at it that way_?’

**‘ _Aww, Khaz, do you have a crush?_ ’** the Judge asked, and the Flame Haze realized that she was blushing more than she had in a very, very long time.

‘ _I’m just reading into it too much!_ ’ she decided. Yet, something in her chest sparked at the idea that she wasn’t.

She ignored it.

She realized that the silence must be growing awkward for her escort. Here he was, her arm in his (wait, how had it gone from her hand in his elbow to that?), her mouth closed and her eyes directed to the ground.

‘ _What do I say?_ ’ she asked her contractor, who had mercy.

**‘ _Ask him how long he’s known Jennifer_.’**

Khaz felt a frown tugging at her lips, but ignored whatever emotion had caused that to happen. She lifted her head, and, looking forward, asked in monotone, “How long have you known Jennifer?”

She could sense the oddity of the question, but it was better than nothing. He tilted his head, looking up at the sky. They were walking in the city, and she was so tense that she immediately looked where he did. They were in a less-lighted area, but there weren’t many stars they could see. She decided to look back at him, and found that the lighting did a great many things for his physical appearance. She looked back at the ground.

“Ah, about four or five months?”

She nodded, not trusting herself to look up again.

“Ah, where are you from?”

That was a much more normal question, yet Khaz found herself feeling a little uncomfortable answering him. Then she shook her head; it wasn’t a big deal.

“Misaki City,” she replied.

Both of his eyebrows lifted, but the expression was gone a moment later.

The story of Misaki City was famous at this point, and it was one she knew more than most. To the outside, it was a massacre they had overlooked for twenty years. To Khaz? It was a battle.

She managed to avoid the memories and looked back at him. The lighting was gone now. Had she become stronger, like he wanted her to be? No, she didn’t think she had.

**‘ _Yeah you did_ ,’** was the voiced disagreement, and Khaz sent her a telepathic smile. **‘ _Everyone exists, and some even still live because of you. They’re all at peace. That’s because of you, and I have no doubt that he’ll be proud once you tell him the full story!_ ’**

She felt herself flush again, but now her chin was higher. She turned to face him fully.

He was looking away, apparently choosing not to comment on the fact that she’d been through a traumatic experience. She supposed it was awkward for him—

“Ah, there it is.”

—and nevermind, he was being thoughtful. She turned again to look ahead, and was quickly reminded of her awkward pauses when he’d asked to escort her.

They were at the homeless shelter.

The Red Judge burst into a hysterical fit of laughter, and Khaz felt her mouth twitch.

“Ah, this is the place, right?” he asked innocently, and she turned to him.

“Thank you,” she said, her monotone hiding her real voice, but humor in her eyes. “I hope to see you at school tomorrow.”

His eyes were dancing, almost . . . mischievous, and she felt a sudden rush of warmth. This was Khamsin Nbh’w, and through the interference of Yuji Sakai, she was getting to see more of the person her protector had been all along.


	8. Papercut (or, That Escalated Quickly)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jennifer gets a paper-cut . . . Khaz does not enjoy this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! Thank you for waiting, everyone!!! I hope you enjoy!

Something interesting happened between the classes. It started when Jennifer stiffened and hissed in pain.

Khaz was sitting on her desk (yes, her desk itself, not the chair), talking to Khamsin, but at the sound she spun, jumped from her perch, and moved one step to tower over her friend. Jennifer hid her finger, glanced up, and sent the Flame Haze a quick smile. It didn't hold her usual, relaxed feeling.

"Sorry, I just cut myself on this page. . ." the redhead said, continuing to hide her fore-finger from Khaz. The brown-haired girl relaxed at this. She quickly went through her drawer in her mind, but before she could realize that she didn't have a bandage, Khamsin spoke.

"Ah, I'll get a bandage," the braided boy said, quickly rising.

Khaz's heart leapt to her throat, yet she knew that her anxiety was born of paranoia and not an actual danger. She turned, willing her body to stay relaxed, even as her brown eyes watched him rush to the classroom door. She refused to let herself tense as he left her sight. Then, deciding that she had accomplished her goal, she turned back to Jennifer.

The human didn't look any paler than usual, yet she was holding her finger in a way to stop . . . _blood._

The papercut was bleeding.

Khaz tried to relax again, and took a deep breath—images flashed before her eyes of blood, her friend's blood, _Margery and Keisaku's blood—_

— _There's enough blood on the ground for one of them to be dead—_

The Flame Haze managed not to let out the breath in a scream, instead trying to ground herself—

— _This is all her fault: if only she'd been stronger when the city was attacked—_

" _ **They're alive**_ **,"** her contractor reminded her. " _ **And it's just a papercut, it would be impossible for her to bleed enough to die.**_ "

Of course. The brown-haired girl took another deep breath, as the last one had been let out in a choked sound. She lifted herself back onto her perch, letting out the breath as a sigh.

"You good?" Jennifer asked, but was ignored.

' _I can handle this—and it isn't even my own finger._ '

" _ **You would handle this better if it was your own finger**_ **,"** the Red Judge commented. " _ **And just think if it had been Khamsin who got a cut!**_ "

For some reason, Khaz flushed at the comment.

"You good?" Jennifer asked again, and Khaz glanced up at her, then nodded.

Not long after, Khamsin rushed back into the room . . . with a long, wide bandage that was nearly his height.

Jennifer closed her eyes and groaned.

"I need a tiny one, you idiot!" she called across the room, and Khamsin's brow furrowed in confusion.

"How am I supposed to wrap this," she said, holding up her hand and showing him the cut, "with that?"

"Ah . . ." he said, blinking. "We could just cut the bandage."

She considered, then nodded. "That will work, do you have scissors?"

The Flame Haze zoned out the moment she saw the cut.

Khaz could see the way one side of the wound was disconnected from the other, how the blood from the redhead's finger was slowly welling up in the cut.

 _Blood_.

Jennifer was bleeding from a wound.

She could only focus on the cut, how her world was suddenly slowed and her heart started to pound like it was screaming.

Jennifer was hurt.

 _Her friend_ was hurt.

" _ **Kazumi, calm—**_ "

"FŪZETSU!" she screamed, and the world went crimson.

The blood stopped.

She found herself panting, even though she hadn't lifted a finger, and then quickly located Khamsin because if _he_ was hurt someone was going to pay.

Her tense brown eyes met shocked red ones.

"Ah, what?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Papercut—After When People are Friendly, Before Switch


	9. Honesty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Immediately after Papercut, before Switch

The world was red and frozen. The blood had stopped welling up, but her heart hadn’t stopped pounding.

Khaz’s tense brown eyes met Khamsin’s shocked red ones.

“Ah, what?”

**‘** **_Oh dear_ ** **,’**

Khaz blinked, wondering for a second why her contractor was concerned—and then her eyes widened.

He seemed too shocked to say anything, at first staring back at her with wide red eyes. Then, slowly, he looked around with the same half-disbelieving gaze. Khaz looked around as well, flushing because of her mistake.

The desks and walls were stained a dark crimson, and the luscious green outside had become a flat red. Jennifer, the only human there, was completely frozen, her skin pale and her blue gaze now gray.

Khaz decided to stare outside rather than be open to eye contact.

It was strange, feeling sheepish in this environment. She was used to sudden fear, or feeling unprepared and helpless: the world was a battlefield when dyed red. So how was she able to feel such a childish emotion now? (Well, childish according to the Herald of Embers).

She didn't have time to think about it, because Kamsin said again, “Ah, what?” His voice was shaking, and she looked up at him.

He was staring at her, and his brow was furrowed slightly. He started to play with his hair, something Khaz hadn’t noticed before . . .

With a start, she realized that he might be remembering something.

“Khamsin—!” she burst out, and found her mask cracking. She turned away again, unable to look him in the face without the whimpering, pathetic Kazumi coming to the surface.

“Ah, Kazumi, what’s going on?”

Why, oh  _ why  _ did she not get rid of that name before she got a fake identity? She took a deep breath, and was alarmed when it shook. How could she explain this to him?

**“This is a seal,”** the Red Judge said.

Out of the corner of her eye, Khaz saw Khamsin jump at the voice.

“Ah, who is that?” he asked, and she saw him relax. She dared to give him a full glance, and was relieved to find him calm again. She supposed that three thousand years of memory would have numbed him to major world changes, even subconsciously.

“My contractor, the Red Judge,” she replied, her mask back in place. She tucked her hair behind her ear, revealing the glowing red earring that housed the Crimson Lord.

**“I am Clairesse, but for now that’s not important. Each seal—or, as my Flame Haze prefers, Fūzetsu—is a unrestricted system that . . .”**

When everyone else was leaving the school under the red sky, Khamsin and Khaz lagged behind. Jennifer conveniently had something to do, and even winked at Khaz as she left. For a second the Flame Haze was confused, until she realized that her friend was playing matchmaker. Then she turned scarlet. But it wasn’t like that! He probably had questions for her. It was probably the only reason that he was escorting her now, because he’d have to evaluate their month-old friendship.

However, as they walked and he didn’t say anything, watching the sky quickly fade to a deep blue, it became apparent that he didn’t have anything to ask.

That had to mean that he knew the things that the Red Judge had left out, right? She wondered how much was logic and how much was memory. He had the memories in his subconscious, didn't he? What if he didn't?

What if, because of the way that she’d told him the truth of the world, he wouldn’t want to be around her?

She froze, then realized that he’d paused. She turned.

Beyond the corner, where she was, the area was lit by a bright street lamp. Before it, where Khamsin stood, the area was not well lit, and he was cast in shadow. She noticed how there was some light that hit his charcoal-coloured hair from a far-off lamp. His eyes had the deepest shadow, yet she could see them well. Or she could have, if not for the blinding light that bathed her and flooded her peripheral vision.

She stepped forward until she stood in front of him. Leaning forward ever-so-slightly, she pulled her hair from behind her ear to shield her eyes from the bright lamp.

He shook his head, as if to clear it, and asked, “I wasn’t hallucinating earlier, was I?”

The Flame Haze didn’t want to talk about it. Fortunately, her contractor stepped in.

**“No.”**

He nodded and sighed. Then he looked up, up to the few stars they could see in the sky.

Khaz lowered her head even further, staring at the pavement. She knew he’d have more questions, and she . . . she didn’t want him to. She wanted him to remember everything.

She found that her eyelids fell and screwed shut.

“Ah, Kazumi,” he said, but she didn't look at him, even when he put his hand on her head,“this doesn’t change anything between us.”

Her eyes snapped open, and her head lifted slightly “R-really?” she asked, before she could think.

“Yeah.”

The warmth didn't just blossom, it  _ exploded  _ in her chest, filling her with fireworks and making her fingers tingle. She kept staring at the gray pavement, but all she could see was a vibrant color she didn’t know the name of.

She realized she was blushing. She realized he meant more to her than any other friend, even  _ Yuji _ , ever had.

In that tiny moment, she was happy.


	10. Switch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Khaz goes to pick up Khamsin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was published a while ago, on FF.net. Hehe, sorry! Please enjoy.

Khaz stared at the door. It was the same as any other door, but it seemed to loom over her. The normalness was gone, because this was  _Khamsin's_  home.

Even though they'd been friends for weeks, it was intimidating.

She raised her fist and slowly knocked, wondering who would open the door.

His father? Sister? Mother?  _Dog?_

She crossed the last one off her list.

She let her arm drop, and waited.

The door opened.

It was then that she remembered him looking away at just the wrong moments, turning quickly away from her, being uncomfortable with certain questions.

The woman before her, golden hair cascading down her back, was hurting Khamsin.

It was a gut feeling she's developed over the years, knowing when someone was having trouble at home—but she'd been so focused on Khamsin, and that he was alive that she somehow hadn't noticed.

She cursed herself for not seeing it.

"And who are you?" the woman asked. The way she stood hinted that she wasn't very strong.

Khaz stared at the woman, wondering how fast she could bring her down in a fight. Five seconds? Maybe thirty. "Kazumi Yoshida," she said flatly. It wasn't her usual monotone, but instead had a cold edge. "I'm here to remind Khamsin that we need to go to school early today."

An eyebrow above a green eye lifted. Khaz's blood boiled, and she wondered if she used to be this violent, or if it had been honed into her from fighting.

"He didn't mention anything," the woman said.

Khaz was silent.

After a moment, the woman sighed and turned around.

"Oy, Camron!" she called. "Do you know a Kazumi Yoshida?"

There was silence, then the sound of someone moving, and Khamsin came into view. He wasn't limping or favoring an arm, which helped confirm her suspicions.

"Ah, Kazumi?" he asked, bewildered. "What are you doing here?"

Khaz felt her mask breaking slightly, a small smile tugging at her lips. She didn't reply.

"She mentioned going early?" his mother said. She sent him a challenging glare.

Without a word,  _Kazumi_  reached forward and grabbed the hem of Khamsin's sleeve. He looked to her in surprise. Kazumi was still smiling, and he quickly smiled back.

Her heart almost exploded. Khamsin had never been that quick to smile before.

"Ah, then I should go," he said to his mother, stepping out the door. Kazumi nodded, still clinging to his sleeve.

They left quickly, and Kazumi was reluctant to let go of him. How could she have been so blind?

"Khamsin . . ." she said softly. He paused and looked back to her. Her eyes were cast in shadow, refusing to show her emotions, but her hand trembled on his hem. She looked up, and her expression was slightly determined.

"I'm glad you're here."

She felt a slight blush as she said this, but ignored it. Verbal abuse was hard to counterbalance, but she would try.

Back in the house, the woman huffed to herself. "Tch, getting a girlfriend without asking me if it's alright, what kind of son is he?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Switch—After Cameron, before Braiding


	11. Braiding

The girl with light brown locks that reached her waist smiled softly as she was led to the classroom. The boy who led her had long black hair, and he held onto her hand tightly. They stopped as they reach the doorway, and he let go.

The sunrise was barely gone. The trees outside were a soft shade of green. Their leaves rustled in the gentle breeze.

They were much too early for class.

The girl took the boy's hand again and led him to their desks, his next to the window, hers next to his.

It wasn't a romantic gesture. Simply one of close friends.

"Ah, Kazumi-chan?" the boy said softly.

She looked up at him.

"Ah, shouldn't you call me by my actual name?"

Something shifted—even Kazumi wasn't sure what—but it didn't show on her face. Not the way she stood. But something shifted, and they both felt it.

"Khamsin-kun."

"Ah, I know, but my nam—"

"Khamsin-kun," she said again, and his lips twitched, along with his scar.

"Ah, alright."

She nodded, then sat at her desk. He stood there for a moment, watching the world outside. An especially strong wind sent the leaves into a frenzy.

When he did sit at his own desk, it was so that he could pull out a book. She leaned forward to look at the title; _An Eye for Quality, by Linelen_.

That was a good book.

Seeing as he was going to be busy, Kazumi shuffled through the belongings she kept in her desk, looking for her plain black ribbons.

 ** _'Are you sure this will help him remember?'_  **her contractor asked into her mind, and she nodded.

_'It will if it feels similar enough to his old braid.'_

She tapped lightly on his shoulder, and he quickly looked up from his book with a "hmm?" She held up the ribbons.

"Can I braid your hair?" she asked in a soft, monotone voice.

His eyes softened as he looked at her, and she felt her cheeks heating just enough for a dusting of pink.

He shrugged. "Sure."

She got up and moved to the desk behind him, taking her hair tools with her and sitting on the desk rather than the chair. He pushed his hair over his shoulders and turned back to his book. With a careful touch, Kazumi pulled his hair over his ears, then tucked it behind them. She reached down and picked up her brush.

With careful strokes, starting from the bottom and working her way up, Kazumi brushed his hair and parted it into three sections.

She heard him turn a page.

She moved the hair in exact motions, pulling the images from her memory—the sections had been surprisingly small, and she had to adjust somewhat for the new volume to his hair, but she did her best to make an exact copy of his old braid.

When she reached the end of his hair, she paused for a moment before tying it off. She could see why he used it. It was completely clinical and perfect for battle.

She just held it.

"Ah, what is it?" Khamsin asked, and she glanced up. He wasn't looking her way.

Without a word, she tied off the end of his hair.

"Done," she said softly.

"Thank you," he said, and she didn't miss the stiffness in his voice.

"Do you like it?" she asked quietly, letting the braid fall onto his back.

He paused, then moved his head from side to side. "Ah, it feels natural," he said.

 ** _'I'm not sure whether that's good or bad,'_**  the Red Judge said, her voice a little high.

Kazumi moved to her desk again with a tiny frown. It disappeared when she saw his face: she'd never seen Khamsin blush before. She wondered if he was reading one of the romantic parts.

"Where are you?" she asked.

"Ah . . . he paused. "bells," he said finally.

There was a pause.

 **"That's helpful,"**  the Red Judge said.  **"Were you even reading?"**

"Ah, I was reading," he insisted. "but I'm not sure how else to describe this."

_**'Don't be fooled, Kazumi, he wasn't reading.'** _

_'I know,'_  the Flame Haze said, and a smile tugged at her metaphorical mask.


	12. Roof

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Braiding, before Hands

Khamsin sighed as he closed the door.

He turned around, and paused when he saw her. She'd always admired how he was calm, no matter what the situation, and this was again evident as one corner of his mouth twitched upwards.

"Ah, Kazumi, what are you doing here?"

"I'm not staying at a homeless shelter." There was silence. Perhaps that was too subtle?

". . . have you been sleeping on my roof?"

She nodded.

" **She wants a blanket,"** the Judge explained for her. " **I don't know why she didn't steal one . . ."**

Khamsin huffed a laugh. He put his briefcase next to his rolled-up futon, then walked to his closet and slid the door open. He pulled a dark blue blanket from the top shelf, which was heavy enough it buried him for a moment.

Once he managed to push it back from his face, he asked, "Ah, will this help?"

"Yes," she answered as she took the quilt from him. "Thank you." Then she turned to the window.

" **Yes, thank you, we were very cold!"** her contractor called after him quickly as the Flame Haze—somehow gracefully—slipped out the window and onto the roof.

She didn't really need the blanket. But she did need to tell him that she was sleeping on his roof. That was why she asked for one.

. . .

Actually, why did she do it?

' _What's up with me_?' she wondered, tossing the heavy blanket around her shoulders. He probably saved it for winter. The Futon certainly wouldn't be enough when his room was so drafty.

She stared out across the roofs of nearby houses, then lifted her head to look at the stars. They were easier to see out of the city, when the lights were all off. Constellations spanned the heavens, and she couldn't help but smile a little. She pulled the blanket closer around her, remembering when she was little and would sit on her own roof. It had been cold then.

She took a deep breath of the air, and caught other scents.

The blanket smelled mostly like wood, dust, and age. She checked the seams and saw that they were tearing a little bit.

Underneath those, though there was a very faint scent . . . one that she knew, and the fact that she knew it made her blush slightly.

She should sleep.


	13. Hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Long after Braiding

It wasn't snowing anymore, but white covered the ground thoroughly with several inches of frozen rain. The bluish-white lights lit up the crystalline snow now that the moon had set.

Kazumi Yoshida, or Khaz, stared out at the view. Her seat on the windowsill was comfortable. She was smiling softly to herself.

"I wonder what they're doing," she murmured.

* * *

**—Margery and Keisaku—**

* * *

The woman was groaning in exhaustion, sprawled out on the living-room couch with a (her husband's) big glass of water. The only space she didn't occupy was taken by her cushion (husband), who looked very satisfied as he ran his fingers through her long blonde hair.

"Holidays are worse than getting beaten," she bemoaned, then took another swig of water from his glass. "Keisaku, why did we do this again?"

The brown-haired man huffed a laugh, but otherwise didn't reply. He was too tired. He was also peacefully pleased with how they had managed to get home in time to prepare everything. His eyes briefly scanned the room; it was clearly winter through the window, and the inside was decked with green, tinsel, and a dash of red. The great pine tree the kids had set up in their absence was no longer lonely, as beneath its wide branches lay an array of colorful presents.

"Do you think they're even awake yet?" she asked, taking off her glasses. "Maybe we had more time than we thought . . ."

"Oh, they're awake," Keisaku replied, a surety in his voice that made his wife raise an eyebrow.

"I guess it is Christmas," she muttered. She also supposed that he had more experience with celebrating the holiday than she did. "Really, why didn't we think of the kids before we settled on the September to January shift?"

"No idea," came the reply. His fingers were still moving smoothly through her hair. "At least we've got Rebecca Reed, to cover?"

"Oh yes!" Margery agreed emphatically. "If not for her, the kids would complain about not having us at Christmas."

"Worse, they wouldn't mention it."

Margery briefly frowned at the indirect mention of his parents. She put down her glass of water next to her glasses, then sat up and flipped so that she faced him comfortably.

"Well, our kids don't have to," she stated. She took his hands into hers and looked him in the eyes. "We're here, and we will be here when they need us."

Keisaku blushed, and he smiled at her. "Sorry, I didn't mean to mope," he said, huffing a small laugh.

"You never do," she replied. "And you didn't really. But I'm your wife, so I know that you worry too much."

He full-out grinned at her, then leaned in for a kiss. She squeezed his hands as she kissed back, leaning into his warmth.

There was a sudden, loud creak, and when they broke apart, Keisaku stifled a laugh.

"We know who that is," Margery said. "Did we save that giant bean-bag?"

* * *

Eve crept down the stairs, careful at each step as she descended. Certain landings there were as treacherous as her younger brother.

She was proven right as she hit a step at the wrong angle and a very loud sound echoed through the house. She bit her lip, staying absolutely still, then slowly shifted her foot and moved to the next step.

Her long blond hair contrasted heavily with the maroon sweater she wore, while the color did nothing for her aqua-marine eyes. Her long legs were difficult to manage and often tripped her, but she was slowly getting used to them.

She was wondering if Margery and Keisaku were home.

She didn't think they had realized it, but the mistletoe at her parent's bedroom door had become a kind of signal. It would usually appear a few days before Christmas, but if not she found herself fretting—because that mistletoe only went up when her parents were home.

It hadn't been there yesterday.

Her foot hit the next step, and she leaned forward just enough to see the door.

Her heart leapt.

It was up!

With a squeal that sounded like a baby dolphin and not much else, the girl shot down the stairs and barely avoided ramming into the door to the living room. Instead, she somehow gripped the handle and twisted, then fell against the door.

"You're home!" she cried, and then gracelessly tumbled into her mother's waiting arms. The momentum had them falling to the carpet, and Margery let out a bright laugh.

"Hello Eve," she chuckled. "How are you?"

"Great!" the daughter burst out, letting loose a heart-melting grin. She scrambled to her feet and attacked her father, who somehow managed to keep his balance as the teenager glomped him. "How long are you home?"

"Just a month," Margery said as she picked herself off of the floor. She stretched, then grinned at her daughter.

"A month?" was the squealed response, and her mother laughed once more.

"Yes, a month," she said, and received another toppling hug from her usually calm daughter.

This time, she managed to keep her footing.

* * *

**—Shana and Yuji—**

* * *

There was a small house near the center of the city. It was decorated with red and yellow-white lights, with two large plastic candy-canes that stood by the door.

The man and woman who approached had obviously just been in a fight; she had dried blood on one side of her face, while his face had a few bruises. They were healing more quickly than any normal human, for they weren't human. They were a Flame Haze and the World-Converting Ascetic, respectively—or, to those who knew them, Shana and Yuji Sakai.

"You've been getting better at fighting," the black-haired girl commented, which earned a chuckle from her husband.

"Well, the mastery over teleportation doesn't hurt," he mentioned, and she giggled.

"True, but my contractor meant your fighting style in general," said a voice from the girl's crimson necklace. "You dodged several strokes meant for your head."

"I guess I'm just catching up," he laughed.

His wife started walking in front of him, throwing snow up as she spun cutely to face him.

She said, "Yes, but I'm glad that I can still rescue you from time to time."

He blushed as she threw her arms around his neck, remembering a not-too-long-ago instance where he'd walked straight into a trap, and his wife had dragged him out.

"W-well, I'm glad someone enjoys it," he muttered, and she giggled again. "Come on, let's go inside."

She nodded happily.

* * *

The inside decorations were limited to a large tree in the center of the main room. Below it rested a few wrapped boxes, all wrapped with the same glittering gold paper.

"I think I forgot to turn the lights off," he commented.

Shana frowned, but then shrugged. "As long as it didn't start a fire, it's all good. You did remember to water the tree, right?"

"Yes, I remembered that."

"Good," she said, relieved. At first, it had surprised Yuji that the tree meant so much to her, but he'd gotten used to it over the years. He still didn't know why. She caught his look and flushed.

"I'm going to go get the watering can!" she said quickly, then dashed out of the room, leaving him blinking. Then, shrugging to himself, he knelt down next to the tree and waited for her.

She came back with the pail soon enough, quickly favoring him with a smile. Once she'd watered it, he asked:

"And Alastor?"

"Banished to his place."

He nodded as she set down the watering can next to the tree, then settled down so that they were kneeling towards each other.

"So, presents?" she asked eagerly. His smile widened at her enthusiasm.

"Hey, Shana, before we do that, can I ask you something?"

She tilted her head curiously, then nodded.

He took her hands. "Why is the tree so important to you?"

There were many things that Yuji had asked Shana that made her blush, but he usually expected it. This time, he was expecting a short answer, or maybe she'd tell him she didn't know. However, she (again) defied his expectation by suddenly resembling a tomato.

"Th-th-that's—!" she started, and then looked away. "That's n-not important!" his wife suddenly insisted. Yuji blinked, then tilted his head.

"Oh?"

She glanced up at him, then away once again, and shrugged. "It's . . . it's just that I've never had a tree." She said this quietly, almost like she hoped he wouldn't hear it; she was looking away with a pout and a blush. "I've had a house, and I make my own lights every day, but a tree . . . a tree you put up together. A tree you put presents beneath, things that you buy or make for each other. A tree is a single thing that represents the complex bonds of a family."

At the end, she spoke so quietly that if Yuji hadn't had supernatural hearing, he would have been at a loss.

"That's why it's so important," she whispered. She was looking at their joined hands now, and Yuji couldn't help but smile and let out a small chuckle.

"Y-you're not laughing at me, are you?" she insisted, quickly looking up, and he shook his head.

"No, no my dear." He let go of one of her hands to press a wayward lock of black hair behind her ear. "I think that it's sweet, and I'm glad that we can talk about things like this together."

She was still blushing, and she gave him a reproachful look at the 'sweet' comment, but then she nodded.

They were silent for a while, sitting there with their hands joined, both smiling softly to themselves, glad to be together. Even if they were forced to risk their lives frequently for the sake of the worlds, they could at least have this time together.

Yuji finally broke the silence. "Shall we open presents, then?" he asked. She looked up, still a little red-faced, and her smile widened.

"M-hmm!"

* * *

**—Kazumi and Khamsin—**

* * *

Kazumi smiled to herself as she leaned against the window. Jennifer was fast asleep on the couch, curled up in the blanket she'd given to the brunette (since Kazumi was a Flame Haze, she didn't need it).

"Ah, I see she's asleep."

Kazumi looked up to see Khamsin Nbh'w standing in the doorway. She smiled even wider, then patted the seat next to her on the windowsill.

The silence was comfortable. They sat together, just as they liked to do when watching the sunrise, but this time it was just observing the snow. Well, that's what she thought they were doing.

When she looked up, his gaze was on her.

He was watching her like she was an eye-catching, delicate snowflake that was falling from the sky. The shy girl flushed and looked away from the ancient boy, back to the snow. It wasn't the first time that she'd caught him looking at her like that, nor did she anticipate that it would be the last. She didn't mind it. Still . . . it was a little embarrassing.

His hand lifted one of hers, and she turned to him again. He was smiling at her, and she was turning red once more.

"Ah, Merry Christmas," he whispered.


End file.
